Twins William and Raphael "Rafi" Karkowsky have always shared life's best moments.

That was true again Friday when the brothers and best friends learned where they would begin their careers as doctors.

They were among nearly 16,000 medical students nationwide who opened Match Day letters and learned where they would conduct postgraduate study. More than 95 percent of students were matched with residency positions, the highest rate in 30 years, according to the National Resident Match Program.

The students enter medicine as health care reform could transform the industry and medical schools grapple with the expected shortage of doctors in years to come.

The brothers both wanted residencies in internal medicine, an increasingly popular choice among medical students, given the growing focus on primary care.

Raphael was on the phone with his girlfriend as he opened his letter among a small group of friends at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He was matched in internal medicine with Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, his third choice after Beth Israel Deaconess in Boston and Cornell University in New York.

"It was my favorite program, but not my top choice, so I'm actually happy with it, because the computer knew better than me where I should end up going," Rafi said. "It worked out for the best."

William took a deep breath before he and his wife, Hasya Pearlman, opened his letter together as his parents watched. The University of Maryland School of Medicine student was paired in internal medicine with the University of Chicago, his first choice. He beamed and kissed his wife repeatedly and seemed at a loss for words.

"I am pretty happy," he said later. "I got my first choice."

The 59-year-old Match Day program is designed as a fair way to assign students to residencies, where they will further their training for the next three to seven years.

Continued here:
Medical students find out residencies at Match Day

Every single graduating medical student from Marshall University's Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine has been placed in a residency program. University officials said Friday that's the first time ever 100 percent of the class has matched.

The National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) pairs graduating seniors with graduate medical programs across the country where they will train for the next three to five years.

"For the first time in the history of the School of Medicine, 100 percent of our students have matched in their chosen medical specialties, exceeding the average of 95 percent that we've had for the last five years," said Dr. Marie Veitia, associate dean, student affairs.

In all, 64 seniors learned their residency placements at noon Friday when they and their counterparts nationwide opened envelopes containing their residency decisions.

A little more than 67 percent of graduating seniors will enter fields defined as primary care in West Virginia - family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, internal medicine/pediatrics, and pediatrics - continuing Marshall's mission of educating physicians for the nation's rural areas. Additionally, about one-third of the class will remain in West Virginia, according to a news release from Marshall University. Of those, 17 will train at Marshall.

"We are delighted that a significant number elected to remain at Marshall while others matched in primary care and highly competitive fields of medicine such as emergency medicine, radiology, and anesthesiology at schools across the country," Veitia said. "Marshall students matched at programs at Duke, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth, Emory and three outstanding programs in California."

View post:
Marshall University medical school reaches 100 percent milestone

By Patty Ryan, Times Staff Writer Patty RyanTampa Bay Times In Print: Saturday, March 17, 2012

TAMPA Ten years ago, when Dr. Michael Flannery became director of the internal medicine residency program at the University of South Florida's medical school, he made a commitment. Each day, he would say a rosary.

Last summer, he added a new prayer: If there's anything I need to do or to know, tell me.

He had been having premonitions of his own death. His body was beginning to validate them.

Flannery had seen the muscle weakness and spasms in patients. He knew what the symptoms might mean. As he searched for a more hopeful diagnosis, he kept his fears to himself. Then, one day in August, he and his wife learned the worst:

Flannery, 51, who has devoted his life to healing and the making of healers, has a terminal disease for which there is no cure ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease.

He has three children, including a boy just 11. He knows he can't change the course of the disease, which could paralyze him and keep him from breathing on his own. He can only influence the memories that his family will make together until then.

And so, after the diagnosis but before others knew, he told his wife, "Let's go out and celebrate."

This is Michael Flannery. He goes to Biloxi to volunteer after Hurricane Katrina. He opens a free clinic in Pasco County. He gives educational scholarships, six a year ranging from $500 to $1,000, to future doctors, nurses and pharmacists. One is earmarked for hospital janitors who want to go back to school.

Over 21 years, he has trained hundreds of new doctors.

Read the original post:
With ALS, mentor to USF medical residents is now a patient

Newswise BOSTON (March 16, 2012) Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM) matched 22 medical school students, or 12% percent of its graduating class, to residency programs in family medicine. This is the largest number of matches ever in family medicine at Tufts, more than double the average percentage of the previous three years, and approximately four percentage points above the national average of students matching in family medicine.

Health-care reform is occurring at the fastest pace since the introduction of Medicare in the 1960s, and increasing the number of primary care physicians is key to achieving the nations goal of improving access to care, improving the nations health, and controlling health-care costs. The Association of American Medical Colleges Center for Workforce Studies predicts that there will be a shortage of 45,000 primary care physicians in the next decade. The Massachusetts Medical Societys 2011 Physician Workforce Study reported severe physician shortages in internal and family medicine, both primary care specialties, for the sixth consecutive year.

In response to the physician shortage, TUSM expanded its class size in 2009. That same year, TUSM partnered with Maine Medical Center on a program that provides students with experience in rural practice as well as training in a major tertiary medical center. Earlier this year, Tufts announced the launch of a new physician assistant, or physician-extender, program to assist physicians in providing access to care.

Another core step was redeveloping our curriculum to focus students on taking a patient-centered approach, a core value of primary care. In this patient-centered model, students begin interviewing patients in the community in their first week of medical school and progress on to a year-long apprenticeship with a primary care physician. This mentorship model introduces students to primary care earlier than most medical schools. Students are mentored by these faculty physicians, learn how to interact with patients, and obtain a first-hand experience in primary care, said Amy Kuhlik, MD, dean of students at TUSM.

In addition to the hands-on training in local communities, the curriculum changes also include a six-week rotation in family medicine for all students. Students train in doctors offices, community health centers, and academic teaching practices throughout New England. Students return to the classroom one day a week for innovative exercises such as interviewing patients with physical disabilities and patients on the autism spectrum and receiving direct feedback from those patients.

Students in the third year participate in workshops on health-care systems and reform; information mastery, or the art and science of efficiently accessing state-of-the-art and evidence-based information while caring for patients; treatment of underserved patients; physician wellness; and motivational interviewing, which involves coaching patients to discover their own motivations to make better decisions about their health, said Wayne Altman, MD, director of medical student education in the TUSM department of family medicine

Tufts students who choose family medicine are interested in making a difference in the communities that they serve and improving health-care outcomes in populations. Graduates from Tufts will attend some of the top programs in the country including our own Tufts Family Medicine program at Cambridge Health Alliance, which will help to address the physician shortage in Massachusetts, as well as at programs from Maine to California, said Randy Wertheimer, MD, Jaharis Chair of Family Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine and Chief, Department of Family Medicine, at Cambridge Health Alliance.

The Tufts University Family Medicine Residency program at Cambridge Health Alliance, widely regarded as one of the best in the country, has pioneered a model program that relies less on training residents in hospitals and instead emphasizes outpatient training where family physicians are most apt to work.

The match, conducted annually by the National Resident Matching Program, matches medical school students with residency programs at US teaching hospitals.

# # #

Originally posted here:
Tufts Medical Students Match in Record-High Numbers in Family Medicine

wwltv.com

Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:54 PM

Meg Farris / Eyewitness News Email: mfarris@wwltv.com | Twitter: @megfarriswwl

NEWORLEANS - At the exact same time, at every medical school in the country, graduating seniors got an envelope announcing where they will spend the next five years of their lives training in an internship and residency program.

On Friday, graduates from LSU Medical School and Tulane Medical School each gathered at locations near the Morial Convention Center with their families to see if they got their first choices for the hospital and specialty they want to train in.

Amidst cheers from all the medical students, faculty doctors called out each student name by name.

One senior opened his envelope in front of our cameras, and saw he was going to Oregon.

"That was my first choice. I got my first choice for everything. So I've got to go talk to my family," he said running off in excitement.

At the LSU Medical School match, 108 out of 171 graduating seniors will stay in Louisiana to get their residency training. LSU doctors say the promise of a new teaching hospital is critical.

"It's just like a carpenter. You need a hammer and a nails to build a house. I need a first class hospital so these students can train and become the doctors that are going to take care of you and me," said Dr. Steve Nelson, Dean of the LSU Medical School.

Visit link:
Medical students matched with their residency programs, many to stay in La.

In the annual ritual known as Match Day, when medical-school seniors find out where they will go for postgraduate training and, perhaps, the rest of their lives, 41 percent of the graduates of New Orleans' medical schools learned Friday that they will stay in Louisiana. At LSU School of Medicine, which accepts only Louisiana residents, 108 of the 171 seniors in the match -- 63 percent -- will go to residencies in New Orleans, LSU Health Sciences Center spokeswoman Leslie Capo said.

At Tulane University School of Medicine, which has no such entry requirement, 35 of the 177 students in the match -- about 20 percent -- learned that their residencies will be in Louisiana, Tulane spokesman Keith Brannon said.

At Louisiana's other medical, LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport, 49 of the 108 seniors in the match -- 45 percent -- will have Louisiana residencies, spokeswoman Meg Willett said.

In New Orleans, two hospitals offer residencies, even though they do not have medical school. Ochsner Medical Center filled all 55 of its slots, and East Jefferson General Hospital filled its seven positions, representatives of those institutions said.

More:
41 percent of local medical graduates to stay in Louisiana

Newswise NEWARK, N.J. -- The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) announced today that Dr. David Alland, professor of medicine, chief of infectious diseases, and director of the Center for Emerging and Re-Emerging Pathogens at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, will receive a tuberculosis (TB) biomarkers grant awarded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundations Grand Challenges in Global Health program, an initiative which seeks to overcome persistent bottlenecks in creating new tools that can radically improve health in the developing world.

With the grant, awarded through the Foundation of UMDNJ, Dr. Alland will pursue an innovative research project to identify and validate TB biomarkers, titled Permeable Magnetic Nanoparticles for point-of-care tuberculosis diagnosis.

The Grand Challenges TB biomarkers program provides funding for groundbreaking research into TB biomarkers for the development of a low-cost, simple to use tool that can quickly and accurately diagnose TB in developing countries.

There is an urgent need to break through barriers in biomarker research in order to develop a highly-sensitive point-of-care diagnostic to improve identification of active TB cases, said Chris Wilson, director of Global Health Discovery at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. We hope these innovative ideas lead to effective and affordable TB diagnostics that can make an impact on one of the worlds deadliest infectious diseases.

Dr. Allands project is one of ten Grand Challenges TB biomarkers grants awarded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Diagnostic assays are important components of tuberculosis (TB) control programs. Numerous methods exist that can rapidly detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in patient sputum (and potentially in other clinical samples). However, a major limitation common to virtually every one of these methods lies in the difficulty of extracting MTB from the clinical sample. This project will develop a simple, rapid and sensitive method to magnetically extract MTB from any volume of sputum that can reasonably be produced by a patient. MTB extracted with this method will be suitable for detection by many downstream technologies that can be adapted to point of care detection. This project will overcome a major roadblock in TB diagnostics, enabling many innovative diagnostic platforms to be applied to detecting this disease.

About Grand Challenges in Global Health The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recognizes that solving our greatest global health issues is a long-term effort. Through Grand Challenges in Global Health, the foundation is committed to seeking out and rewarding not only established researchers in science and technology, but also young investigators, entrepreneurs and innovators to help expand the pipeline of ideas to fight diseases that claim millions of lives each year. We anticipate that additional grants will be awarded through the Grand Challenges program in the future.

About UMDNJ and the Center for Emerging Pathogens The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) is New Jerseys only health sciences university with more than 6,000 students on five campuses attending the state's three medical schools, its only dental school, a graduate school of biomedical sciences, a school of health related professions, a school of nursing and New Jerseys only school of public health. UMDNJ operates University Hospital, a Level I Trauma Center in Newark, and University Behavioral HealthCare, which provides a continuum of healthcare services with multiple locations throughout the state.

The Center for the Study of Emerging and Reemerging Pathogens is a collection of interdepartmental laboratories located in the Medical Science Building at the UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School in Newark.

These laboratories share a new facility containing many pieces of top of the line/state-of-the-art equipment, used in scientific research. The facility comprises modern rooms dedicated to different purposes such as cell culture equipped with carbon dioxide incubators and a Biological Safety Cabinet, dishwashing and autoclaving (two dishwashers, two drying ovens and two autoclaves for sterilization), darkroom, PCR room, common equipment room containing gel dryers, ultracentrifuges, a lyopholizer, a tabletop centrifuge, & a scintillation counter.

Read more from the original source:
Researcher at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School Receives Grand Challenges Tuberculosis Biomarkers Grant

15-02-2012 23:34 Part of Einstein Class of 2014 Skit Night 2012 See the full show at http://www.youtube.com

Read more here:
Somebody That I Used to Know (Med School Style) - Video

Released: 3/15/2012 12:00 PM EDT Source: Mayo Clinic Expert Available

Mayo Clinic Experts Available to Discuss Tools to Identify Medical School Burnout

Newswise ROCHESTER, Minn. Medical school students around the country will learn their fate this Friday, March 16, on what is known as Match Day. This is a much-anticipated day that reveals not only where they will work after medical school, but what medical specialty they will pursue. Match Day is filled with excitement and celebration there are hugs, cheers, high fives and tears, but there is another aspect of becoming a resident that medical schools, hospitals and veteran physicians are increasingly paying attention to: The road to becoming a resident is not easy and can lead to burnout ranging from emotional and physical exhaustion to depersonalizing patients.

There has been a growing recognition of burnout among medical students and such distress can have a big impact on their quality of life, professional development and patient care. Mayo Clinic experts have developed an index that screens medical students to identify burnout, symptoms of depression, sleepiness and fatigue. Studies using the index have provided evidence of reliability and validity using the tool to identify severe distress in medical students.

Mayo Clinic experts, Lotte Dyrbye, M.D., associate director, Department of Medicine Program on Physician Well-Being, and Tait Shanafelt, M.D., director, Department of Medicine Program on Physician Well-being at Mayo Clinic, are available to talk about the index and ways for students to identify burnout and ways to promote personal well-being and professional satisfaction to foster a high quality of care for patients and a high quality of life for themselves throughout their medical careers. Dr. Dyrbye and Dr. Shanafelt have conducted several studies on physician burnout, most recently examining the causes and consequences of prolonged stress among oncologists.

Match Day reveals the results of a two-way selection process: matching the top preferences for residency programs among medical students with the needs of residents among residency programs throughout the United States. The Match Day event also marks each participant's progression from student to practicing physician.

### About Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.org/about/ and http://www.mayoclinic.org/news.

See original here:
Match Day and the Long Road to Becoming a Medical Resident

Published:Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Updated:Wednesday, March 14, 2012 21:03

The process of applying for medical school could seem somewhat overwhelming for prospective students. To help alleviate some of this stress and help students better prepare for applications, The American Medical Student Association (AMSA) will be hosting their second annual Medical School Process Made Easy event on Saturday, March 17 in the D.P. Culp Auditorium. This event will provide a step-by-step guide to applying for medical school. It was really a success last year, said Casey Lawson, chair of the event. We had a little over 100 students show up. This year we have kind of expanded it where its not just ETSU. The admissions director of ETSUs Quillen College of Medicine has sent out emails to neighboring schools, Lawson said. Students from Western Carolina, Virginia Intermont, Carson-Newman and King have all signed up. Registration is free and is open to all students who are interested in attending. The event is able to host up to 200 students, and spots are still available. We want to make sure we have enough resources to make sure we can manage what we need to do, Lawson said. This event will include mock interviews, a dress and appearance seminar, an application workshop, and a current events seminar. The AMSA and Captain Carlson of the U.S. Army will sponsor a free lunch for those who attend. Doug Taylor, dean of admissions, will also be speaking to talk to students about what people see when an application is being viewed. It really helped a lot last year and we got some really great feedback, Lawson said. We want to get some surveys after this time to get some more feedback and see what we can improve to make it better. Hopefully this will continue. Medical School Process Made Easy will be open to anyone considering medical school as an opportunity to see if the student is really dedicated enough to do all the things they have to do, but it is primarily targeted for people who are set on going, said Lawson. If youre serious, you need to have the information ahead of time so you can prepare. Josh Eckelberry, biology major with a concentration on biochemistry, attended the event last year and highly recommends it for anyone considering medical school. Its been a big help working on applications. It makes you realize what it takes Even if youre not premed, its really helpful for an job interview and having interview skills. They have a nice workshop with that. It was a big help, and kind of an eye opener. The event begins at 12:30 p.m. in the Culp Center Auditorium, but attendees should arrive at noon to talk to the medical schools, which will be set up at that time. Everyone will be set up in the Atrium, and the event will last until approximately 7 p.m. In the last 45 minutes of the event, a medical school committee members and staff and student will be on stage to answer questions. To register, go to http://www.etsu.edu/cas/mpa/default.aspx.

More:
AMSA hosts medical school made easy event

The Alpert Medical School slid six spots in research, but moved up four spots in primary care in the annual U.S. News and World Report rankings of the nations top graduate schools released Tuesday. The report released rankings for graduate programs in computer science, engineering, humanities, medical education and the sciences.

Medical schools are ranked in two main categories expertise in primary care for patients and research. In an improvement from last year, the Med School moved from 28th to 24th in primary care. The Med School was ranked 35th in research, a drop from its ranking of 29th place last year. Under the research category, the Med School was ranked 9th in the alcohol and drug abuse research category.

Med School administrators pay some attention to the rankings, said Ed Wing, dean of medicine and biological sciences, but he added that the Med School is not driven by them. We want to pick the best students, and we dont just go by the numbers, Wing said.

The Med School works on criteria that factor into ranking decisions such as attracting high-profile faculty, seeking federal funding in research and accepting students with high Medical College Admission Test scores, Wing said, but he added we dont go overboard with it.

The U.S. News rankings place a great emphasis on a universitys financial resources, resulting in higher rankings for colleges with larger endowments like Harvard, according to Wing. But he added that the Med School has made progress in recent years when compared to larger institutions.

Were still a new medical school and still growing our research profile, Wing said, adding that the University actually outranks Harvard in terms of funding from the National Institutes of Health per faculty member. The administration is focused on attracting the best faculty members available while pushing for greater federal funding for research, Wing said.

Wing pointed to the annual variability of the rankings as proof of their role as only a rough indication of a universitys strength.

Sometimes its hard to figure out why theres variability, Wing said. Its been very widely criticized by deans of medical schools.

The report also ranked many of the Universitys other graduate programs highly, including ranking computer science 20th, economics 19th, English 13th, history 17th, math 14th and engineering 46th, one lower than its ranking of 45th last year. In certain sub-fields, the University scored high rankings, including a score of 5th in applied math.

The University does not consider improvement in rankings an impetus for changes at the grad school, wrote Peter Weber, dean of the graduate school, in an email to The Herald. He called the rankings one of many tools available to prospective students, but wrote students should focus on the individual training environments at respective schools. Weber highlighted the graduate schools close mentoring of students and described the open curriculum as key to the Universitys success. Brown has a collaborative, flexible environment with strong support and training for graduate students, Weber wrote.

Link:
Med School rankings rise in primary care, fall in research

Gala dedicated to raising funds for medical scholarships

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the Foundation of UMDNJ will host their annual Student Scholarship Gala, welcoming alumni and friends to celebrate and raise funds in support of medical education, at 6:30 p.m. on April 21 at The Heldrich in New Brunswick.

Last years inaugural gala raised more than $205,000 in support of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School students.

The scholarship gala will bring together alumni, faculty and friends of the medical school, to support our medical students who are being challenged by increasing tuition rates, said Dr. Peter S. Amenta, dean of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Three individuals will be honored for their dedication to promoting medical and scientific education, research, philanthropy, care and community health.

HarveyA. Holzberg, president emeritus at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

(RWJUH), will receive the Meritorious Service Award for his leadership and dedication to improving health care in New Jersey. As a leader in health care administration, and president and CEO of RWJUH for 15 years, Holzbergs work laid the foundation for todays medical center.

Dr. Donald Rose, class of 1980, clinical associate professor of orthopedic surgery, New York University School of Medicine, founding director, Harkness Center for Dance Injuries at the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, will receive the DistinguishedAlumniAward for his accomplishments in sports and dance medicine, as well as arthroscopic surgery. He is a nationally and internationally recognized specialist in the field of dance injuries, having founded the world-famous Harkness Center.

Dr. Stephen F. Lowry, former professor and chair, Department of Surgery, and senior associate dean for education at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, will receive the Honorary Alumni Award posthumously, for his work in advancing medical research and mentoring. Lowry, who passed away in June 2011, epitomized the academic physician scientist. His research accomplishments were rivaled only by his ability to develop and mentor other physicians and scientists.

In an age of increasing tuition costs in medical schools across the country, it is more important now than ever to support physicians of the future, said Dr. George F. Heinrich, vice chairman and CEO of the Foundation of UMDNJ. This gala will provide us with a wonderful opportunity to show these future doctors that we encourage their efforts as they work toward realizing their own dreams of helping those in need.

See more here:
Gala dedicated to raising funds for medical scholarships

Considering medical school? Use these pointers and suggestions to help you determine if a career in medicine is right for you.

Smart Choices

Embarking on the path to become a doctor is a lengthy process. It takes a total of at least 11 years: 4 years of college; 4 years of medical school; and at least 3 years of in-hospital training. (Some programs require up to 8 years of residency and internship training.)

The medical school applicant pool continues to increase, up to 43,919 in 2011 from 42,742 in 2010, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Prospective students submitted an average of 14 applications each for the 2011-2012 school year, for a total of 609,312 applications to medical schools.

[See the Best Medical Schools rankings.]

Getting In

It's important to build a base of knowledge during your undergraduate academic career. Medical school applicants should have a strong background in math and science, especially biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. Being a doctor also requires good people skills, and a solid foundation of liberal arts courses such as humanities and social sciences helps, too.

Extracurricular activities like volunteering at a local hospital or medical clinic may make your application stand out, according to the AAMC, and can also be a good way to develop professional relationships that may lead to medical school letters of recommendation.

About 90 percent of medical school applicants apply during their junior year of college and start medical school right after college. Others take time off after graduation or go through an early admissions or accelerated program while they are still undergraduate students.

Insider Tip

See original here:
Medical School Tips for Success

Following last summer's protest by medical residents and other physicians, some of whom were not satisfied with the long-term pact brokered between the Israel Medical Association and the government, medical interns and medical school students at the end of their studies are now taking steps to organize their own labor organization. They are calling it "Asli," a Hebrew acronym for "Medical Interns in Israel."

Interns are considered an important part of the personnel that staff hospitals, but because they are not yet at a stage in their training when they are considered physicians, they are not regular members of the Israel Medical Association.

By signing up about half of Israel's interns as members, Asli has achieved official status according to labor laws. The status means that the group is recognized as officially speaking for the country's interns.

Last week Asli's chairman, Elad Ben-Artzi, officially notified the entities that employ the country's interns - the state, the Clalit health maintenance organization and Hadassah and Ichilov hospitals - that the organization will be speaking for the interns. He also asked that a meeting be set up with the employers to discuss the full range of employment terms that apply to the interns.

There are about 600 interns in Israel, working at a number of the country's hospitals. They work as interns for a year during their seventh year of medical school. The year is divided between rotations that they are required to do, in specialties such as internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine and surgery, and elective specialties.

Follow this link:
Medical interns form their own union

TAMPA, Fla., March 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) recently presented its online healthcare degree programs and military education services at the 2012 Council of College and Military Educators (CCME) Symposium, which was held Feb. 13-16 in Orlando. Nearly 900 people attended this year's symposium, including Education Services Officers (ESOs) and other military educators, civilian educators, post-secondary educational institutions and providers of education products and services.

Brian Braggs, Director of Military and Veteran Affairs, greeted attendees to the UMA booth in the exhibit hall, where he provided visitors with information about the school's healthcare programs and military education initiatives. Braggs and Cristine Kreplick, UMA Military Academic Advisor, also co-hosted a special evening reception for ESOs and military partners. The event was attended by 130 guests, who enjoyed cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, music and videos as they connected with UMA representatives and students in a more informal and intimate setting.

During the reception, Army veteran Braggs highlighted the resources and services available to military students at UMA, while Kreplick spoke about her Navy career supporting the Marine Corps as a Hospital Corpsman, EMT and medic, and explained how the military played an important role in her healthcare education achievements. In addition, Lynn Steilow - a military veteran who is currently enrolled in UMA's Medical Billing and Coding program - discussed her experiences as a military student and the support she has received from UMA faculty and staff.

"UMA has made significant strides in the military education section over the past year," remarked Braggs. "In addition to implementing numerous policies and programs to serve the needs of military students, we were approved to accept military tuition assistance benefits and were recently designated as a Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs. Today, we have nearly 1,000 students affiliated with all branches of the military. It was gratifying to be able to share our progress and future plans with ESOs and our valued partners. Our guests were very enthusiastic about UMA's education services and online healthcare degree programs, and I found their feedback both encouraging and enlightening."

Braggs noted that UMA is committed to supporting U.S. servicemembers, reservists, guard, veterans, spouses and eligible family members who aspire to pursue healthcare education and allied health careers. He cited UMA's recent agreement with the Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education Program, as well as the school's sponsorship of computer-based testing for the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) through the new UMA/U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg National Test Center. Most recently, the DoD presented UMA with a statement of support signed by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in recognition of the school's continued support of U.S. Guard and Reserves.

ESOs and military educators will have an another opportunity to learn more about UMA and speak with Braggs and his colleagues at the upcoming DoD Worldwide Education Symposium 2012, which will be held July 23-27 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The triennial event is billed as the most-attended conference focused on voluntary education, and is expected to draw approximately 2,600 attendees. "I look forward to reconnecting with the ESOs and military partners we formed relationships with at the CCME Symposium, and I'm excited to meet many others among the large delegation attending the Worldwide Education Symposium in Nevada," said Braggs. "I expect UMA will be making additional announcements about our military education initiatives in the coming months, and I am eager to share that news with my fellow conference attendees in July."

For more information on Ultimate Medical Academy, including details on its online healthcare degree programs and military-friendly policies, visit http://military.ultimatemedical.edu.

About Ultimate Medical Academy

Founded in 1994 and located in Florida, Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) offers dynamic healthcare training and degree programs that empower students to enter and advance within the growing allied health field. UMA is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and dedicated to providing a superior education in a supportive, professional and ethical environment. With locations in Tampa and Clearwater as well as online healthcare programs, UMA has helped thousands of students launch healthcare careers in Florida and beyond.

Media Inquiries: Tricia Wong Director of Marketing Ultimate Medical Academy Phone: 813-676-1646

See the article here:
Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) Connects With ESOs and Partners at 2012 Council of College and Military Educators (CCME ...

Surrounded by relatives and friends, seniors at LSU 's and Tulane 's medical schools Friday will learn where they'll go for postgraduate training. On Friday, which is known asMatch Day in medical-school circles, LSU seniors and their entourages will gather at the Sugar Mill, 1021 Convention Center Blvd., and the Tulane contingent will be at the River City Ball Room at Mardi Gras World, 1380 Port of New Orleans Place.

Each ceremony will start at 11 a.m., the moment when medical-school seniors across the country will rip open white envelopes containing information that could chart the course for the rest of their lives.

The life-shaping aspect comes from this fact: Studies have shown that most doctors wind up putting down roots where they do their residencies.

Because of that factor, the numbers from LSU are regarded as indicators of the state's future supply of physicians becauseLSU's medical schools in New Orleans and Shreveportaccept only Louisiana residents. Of the 178seniorsin last year's match at LSU's New Orleans campus, 104 -- 58.4 percent -- landed Louisiana residencies, as did 60 of the 108 Shreveport seniors, or 55.6 percent.

Tulane does not have a residency requirement. Last year, nearly one-fouth of its medical graduates -- 44 out of 178 -- stayed in Louisiana.

This year, there will be 177 Tulane students in the match, 171 from LSU's medical school in New Orleans and 109 from LSU's medical campus in Shreveport.

Match Day got its name because it is the culmination of a computer-driven matchmaking process. After medical-school seniors interview at hospitals where they would like to go, they and the people with whom they speak rate each other. The information is fed into a computer, which produces the resultsthat go into the envelopes.

Follow this link:
LSU, Tulane medical school seniors learning residency destinations

PHILADELPHIA The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has ranked second among the nation's research-oriented medical schools, according to the annual survey by U.S. News & World Report. This marks the 15th consecutive year that the School of Medicine has ranked as one of the top five medical schools in the United States.

"The Perelman School of Medicine's outstanding ranking is a tribute to the the exemplary efforts of our faculty and staff, and their tireless commitment to provide an exceptional educational experience for the next generation of physicians and scientists," said J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine and Executive Vice President of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System.

The Perelman School of Medicine also ranked among the nations top medical schools in five areas of specialty training, including Pediatrics (#2), Women's Health (#4), Internal Medicine (#5), Drug/Alcohol Abuse (#5), and AIDS (#9).

Established in 1765 as the nation's first medical school, Penn's School of Medicine, now the Perelman School of Medicine, continues a rich tradition of providing pre-eminent training and education. The School of Medicine is an internationally recognized leader in the discoveries that advance science and pave the way for new therapies and procedures to improve human health. In the 2011 fiscal year, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including stimulus funds, awarded the Perelman School of Medicine $479.3 million in research funding.

The U.S. News medical school rankings, released annually in the U.S. News & World Report "Best Graduate Schools" issue, are based on statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school's faculty, research, and students. Information is obtained through surveys of program directors, academics, and professionals. Criteria used in the rankings include peer assessment surveys, research activity, grade point averages, MCAT scores, and NIH funding.

The complete survey is available online, and will be on newsstands April 3. For more information on the Perelman School of Medicine, see our annual Facts and Figures information.

Penn's Perelman School of Medicine is currently ranked #2 in U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools and among the top 10 schools for primary care. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $507.6 million awarded in the 2010 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania -- recognized as one of the nation's top 10 hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Penn Presbyterian Medical Center; and Pennsylvania Hospital the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Penn Medicine also includes additional patient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2010, Penn Medicine provided $788 million to benefit our community.

Link:
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Ranked #2 Medical School in the Nation, According to U.S ...

Daniel Acker/Bloomberg

Columbia was no. 8 in the national rankings for business.

Harvard and Stanford Universities top the charts as the countrys best business schools, according to U.S. News and World Report.

Harvard was also the no. 1 medical school for research, and Yale was tops for law in the 2013 rankings for graduate programs released Tuesday.

SEE FULL LIST OF U.S. NEWS GRADUATE SCHOOL RANKINGS

The U.S. News rankings weigh a school's reputation, selectivity and other factors such as graduates employment opportunities.

Columbia Universitys business and law schools were best in New York State.

SEE FULL LIST OF U.S. NEWS BEST BUSINESS SCHOOL RANKINGS

Columbia was also the best local medical school for research.

Columbia is a great and remarkably broad research university, said Dr. Lee Goldman, dean of the faculties for health sciences and medicine. All parts of the university benefit from the excellence of the other parts.

Read this article:
Harvard, Stanford top biz school charts

GLASSBORO On Monday, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University received its largest gift yet a $1.055 million endowment to the Rowan University Foundation for medical student scholarships.

Lawrence J. Salva senior vice president, chief accounting officer and controller of Comcast Corporation and his wife, Rita, of Princeton, have pledged this amount to establish the Lawrence & Rita Salva Medical Scholars Fund at Rowan.

The gift will establish a $1 million endowment to benefit students enrolled at CMSRU for years to come. The additional $55,000, and the earnings on the endowment, will provide $100,000 in scholarships for the medical schools charter class. The Camden school will welcome its first class this August.

Today is truly a great day for Rowan, the medical school and South Jersey, said R.J. Tallarida, assistant vice president for development and acting executive director of the Rowan University Foundation. Larry is a 1977 graduate, and this is the largest one-time gift by a Rowan alum the Foundation has ever received.

Rowan Interim President Ali Houshmand called the gift transformative.

Every time this scholarship helps to train a doctor who goes on to treat many ill people, the legacy of the endowment continues, said Houshmand. This will benefit many for years to come, especially in a time when student debt is such a serious issue in the country.

CMSRU Founding Dean Dr. Paul Katz said medical students face an enormous amount of debt. The average medical student graduates with nearly $150,000 worth of debt, and he said about 30 percent of the students accepted at CMSRU will be considered disadvantaged. The tuition for a CMSRU student will be approximately $32,860 in-state and $52,680 for out-of-state students. According to Katz, the average annual cost of living for a medical school student in New Jersey is $57,400.

What kind of impact does this have on career choice? said Katz. This is why positions in primary care come up short. In 2020, there are predicted to be 40,000 fewer primary care physicians in this area than are needed.

Add to that, said Katz, that most students come to medical school already bearing debt from their undergraduate years.

The impact of this gift is a multiplier, said Katz. Every patient they touch will benefit from this generosity.

Read the rest here:
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University receives $1.055 million gift from senior vice president of Comcast Corporation

To: EDUCATION AND HEALTH EDITORS

GLASSBORO, N.J., March 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To the core, Lawrence J. Salva is a numbers guy.

So when Salva, senior vice president, chief accounting officer and controller of Comcast Corporation, heard that the average medical school student graduates with more than $150,000 worth of debt, the Rowan University alumnus decided to make a difference and assist aspiring South Jersey physicians.

Salva, vice chairman of the Rowan University Foundation Board, and his wife, Rita, of Princeton, have pledged $1.055 million to the Foundation to establish the Lawrence & Rita Salva Medical Scholars Fund at Rowan. The single largest gift to date for Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU), the Salvas' pledge also is the largest one-time gift ever made to Rowan by an alumnus.

Their gift will establish a $1 million endowment to benefit students enrolled at CMSRU. The additional $55,000 in contributions--and the

"The debt numbers for medical school students are just so compelling," says Salva, who earned his bachelor's degree in business from the University in 1977.

"We're absolutely excited about the medical school and the promise it holds for South Jersey. This scholarship fund gives us a tremendous opportunity to help medical school students pursue their dreams as they work to make a positive impact on the lives of others."

Supporting promising new physicians

According to Founding Dean Paul Katz, MD, tuition for a CMSRU student is $32,860 in state, $52,680 out-of-state. Including tuition, fees and living expenses, the average yearly cost of living for a medical school student in New Jersey is $57,400, according to Katz.

Medical school students often base their medical school decisions--and their choice of specialty--on their expected debt and the funding they can receive to help alleviate that debt. In the selection of the charter class, CMSRU has focused its mission to provide humanistic education in the art and science of medicine within a scientific and scholarly community in which inclusivity, excellence in patient care, innovative teaching, research, and service to the community are valued.

View post:
Rowan Receives Landmark Gift to Fund Medical School Scholarships